Postdoctoral Positions Available

Our laboratory has 2 openings for postdoctoral fellows beginning July 1, 2010.  These mentored positions will empower the candidates to create and analyze complex conditional genetic mouse models of pediatric cancers for the purpose of developing novel molecular therapies. The primary goals for these projects are to understand the role of proteins in the metastatic progression of the childhood brain tumor, medulloblastoma, or the childhood muscle cancer, rhabdomyosarcoma. Employing molecular biology, biochemistry and small animal imaging, the candidate will have the opportunity to identify critical factors in tumor maintenance and tumor progression from which new therapies can be developed. Rapid translation to the clinic is the underlying goal. 

Interested candidates should email a cv to Charles at keller@ohsu.edu .

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Macy Easom Golf Tournament benefits Childhood Cancer Families

Yesterday, Middle Georgia Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine sponsored the 4th annual Macy Easom Memorial Charity Golf Tournament, benefitting the Joanna McAfee Childhood Cancer Foundation. Macy was a young girl who, like Joanna, lost her battle against childhood cancer. Macy's parents and Joanna's parents (along with help from JMCCF and MGO employees and volunteers) organize this annual benefit to raise awareness and to provide tangible support to families of children currently going through their own treatment. It was a privilege to be a part of this event near Warner Robins, GA (where the JMCCF is headquartered). This fundraiser is a heart-warming way in which the memory of Macy, Joanna and other children from this area can be honored by helping the families of children who are currently facing the same challenges. 
      
[ below:  Charles with golf partners (left to right) Jeff, Aaron and Sam. ]
 

 

Tohru's Paper accepted to Genes & Cancer

Congratulations to Tohru, whose paper on pituitary tumors was just accepted to Genes & Cancer.  Tohru showed that a certain protein (ie, homeobox transcription factor) defines a newly discovered type of progenitor cells after birth that give rise to  pituitary tumors.  (yes, actually, this was a fortuitous discovery... as we were originally trying to investigate childhood muscle and cerebellar tumors).  Tohru's work fits well with the recent important discovery of pituitary stem cells by Gleiberman and colleagues.  The publication of our work in Genes & Cancer is particularly appropriate because of this journal's focus on the interplay of development and cancer biology.  Our thanks to UTHSCSA and extramural collaborators, who include pathologist Brian Rubin at the Cleveland Clinic, Bernd Scheithauer of the Mayo Clinic, and Wilmon Grant and Daniel Marks at OHSU.

[ above right: histology from a new pituitary tumor mouse model; 

  below right: microCT-based Virtual Histology of a pituitary tumor. ]

[ update June 6, 2010:  Tohru's paper is now in print, Genes  Cancer 2010;1 388-402 ]

    

Our Laboratory is Moving to OHSU, Portland !

I'm excited to announce that our laboratory is moving to the Oregon Health & Science University where my team and I will be building and leading a Pediatric Cancer Biology program as well as a robust Preclinical Testing Program for childhood cancers.  Whether to move a laboratory requires careful consideration, as described by Joe Simone in his 'Maxims'.  Some key aspects in pursuing this opportunity for our lab are:

   

-  an existing COG Pediatric Oncology Phase I program, so that we can more easily move new treatments from the laboratory bench to the clinic,

-   Strong leadership in the Department of Pediatrics by Chairman and pediatric oncologist, Dr. Stacy Nicholson,

-  Clinical trials expertise including Pediatric Hematology Oncology division chief, Dr. Linda Stork, and Phase I program PI, Dr. Suman Malempati (who currently conducts a COG clinical trial of an Igfr-1 inhibitor for rhabdomyosarcoma),

-   An exceptional stem cell biology community with the Oregon Stem Cell Center to complement our interest in muscle and tumor stem cells,

-  Field-leading expertise in gene therapy, including the research of Pape' Family Pediatric Research Institute Director, Dr. Markus Grompe, and fellow pediatric oncologist faculty member, Peter Kurre,

-  A tradition of excellence in Neuroscience, complementing our interests in medulloblastoma, through the Vollum Institute led by Dr. Richard Goodman,

-  a strong Division of Biomedical Engineering to enhance our multi-disciplinary approach to cancer research,

-  opportunity to partner with the community in growing the pediatric cancer biology program faculty through collaboration with The Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation,

and importantly,

-  the opportunity to collaborate with 2009 Lasker-Debakey Prize awardee, Dr. Brian Druker.  Brian and colleagues pioneered the use of Imatinib (Gleevec, or STI571) as a targeted molecular therapeutic for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML).  This precedent of finding a non-chemotherapy treatment for CML is one that we would very much like to repeat for childhood cancers.  Such an approach would make a lot of sense, because growth factor receptors known to be active in many childhood cancers belong to the classes of kinases for which many new drugs are being developed for adult cancer.  We have already had very productive collaborations with our colleagues Drs. Jason Glover, Jeff Tyner and Mark Loriaux in the Druker laboratory that will lead to co-authored studies this Spring. 

We look forward to being a part of the OHSU community, and forging new ground in the discovery of novel and more effective treatments for childhood cancer. 

Charles
   

"Start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible", St. Francis of Assisi

 

[ above right:  Mt Hood and Downtown Portland.  photo credit, USGS ]

Spring COG meeting in Los Angeles

The Children's Oncology Group Spring 2010 meeting was held in Los Angeles March 24 - 26, with our participation being in the Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Preclinical Testing and CNS (brain tumor) sessions.  Research by Jinu and Anu was very well received at the Tuesday sarcoma session in Charles' presentation of, "Preclinical Rhabdomyosarcoma Studies in Genetically-Engineered Mice".  These meetings are fabulous for establishing new treatment paradigms that bridge basic science and clinical trials. 

Molecularly targeted therapies are generating a lot of excitement.

It pays to have a sense of humor

Recently Laura went to a conference for mouse colony management and came back with some souvenirs.  Oddly, they seem to have a life of their own.  It's certainly nice to have light moments every once in a while. 

Congratulations to Melinda & Corrine!

Congratulations to alumni graduate students, Melinda Garcia and Corrine Chua for their nominations today for the 2010 Armand J. Guarino Award for Academic Excellence in Master of Science Studies!  Corrine and Melinda both completed their Masters degree from our laboratory in December 2009.